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Thursday, March 15, 2012

Is the Proposed Keystone XL Pipeline a Potential Menace to the Environment?

Again, Republicans are deceiving Americans about the Keystone XL pipeline and how it will make America energy independent. Not!!!

The article, highlighted on the other side of the jump, should disabuse Americans of any benefits accruing to middle- and working-class Americans from the Keystone XL pipeline.

In beginning this look at the Keystone XL pipeline "benefits," I will remind readers that this is the pipeline designed to run the spine of the United State -- from North Dakota's Canadian border to the Gulf coast of Texas. The proposed pipeline is to carry oil from the tar sands of Canada to refineries situated along the Gulf coast of Texas.

The below passage from the highlighted article describes the true goal of the Keystone XL pipeline -- not the same goal purported by Republican politicians -- and the risk of an environmental disaster posed by the pipeline.

Keystone would also do little to bring us closer to energy independence, since almost all of the gas refined on the Gulf Coast would be sent abroad, probably to China.

What pipeline supporters don’t mention is that it would create the risk of environmental disaster, since a leak at some point seems inevitable.

Andrew Rosenthal, in his "Loyal Opposition" article, also reports on former President George W. Bush's efforts to sell the "benefits" of the Keystone XL pipeline.